Anvil: The Story of Anvil

I was a casual fan of Canadian headbangers Anvil during their brief early '80s heyday. (Their signature song, "Metal On Metal," features one of the most bad-ass opening guitar riffs in Metal history, in my humble opinion!) I became a full blown fanboy when I was lucky enough to see one of their few shows on American soil in the mid '90s. It was in a small club in New Jersey (opening for a similarly ignored '80s metal band, Raven) and they blew the roof off the joint. So I've been in Anvil's corner for awhile now and therefore have been absolutely dyin' to see this documentary, which is finally shining a spotlight on a forgotten band that deserved a much better hand than they were dealt.

"Anvil! The Story of Anvil" opens in 1984, when Anvil played a huge rock festival in Japan alongside other up and coming, soon-to-be-megastars like the Scorpions, Bon Jovi and Whitesnake. Clips from this concert are spliced with present-day commentary from members of Heavy Metal royalty like Lars (Metallica) Ulrich, Scott (Anthrax) Ian, and Lemmy (Motorhead) Kilminster reminiscing about what a great band Anvil was in their prime. Everyone else on that bill went on to sell zillions of records, but Anvil quickly dropped off the musical radar after that brief blip of fame and all but disappeared. Two and a half decades later, most people probably thought the band had broken up a long time ago, if they remembered Anvil at all. However, the founding members (Steve "Lips" Kudlow, guitar/vocals and Robb Reiner, drums) have kept the band going, continuing to release albums and playing whatever gigs they can get, still doggedly keeping their eyes on a brass ring which seems permanently out of their reach. Are they insane? Possibly, but their determination and never-say-die road dog spirit becomes touching and inspiring very quickly. When we catch up with Lips and Reiner in the present day, they're back home in Canada, working dead-end jobs to pay the bills (Lips as a delivery truck driver for a caterer, Reiner in construction) and still dreaming of becoming rock stars. Their guitarist's girlfriend and amateur "manager" has lined up a European tour for the band that has the potential to become their most extensive road jaunt in nearly 20 years. The boys start off strong with a well attended set at the prestigious Sweden Rock Festival but the remainder of the tour is a disaster of Spinal Tap proportions, made up of barely promoted, sparsely attended gigs in small European rock bars and clubs where they are disrespected and rarely, if ever, paid. The climax of the tour, a "rock festival" in Romania, is held in a 10,000 seat arena in which only 174 paying customers show up. They return to Canada, broke and tired, but Lips continues to see the sunny side of things as they begin preparations to record their thirteenth album. The second half of the film shows the process of making that record while financial, family and personal pressures threaten to finally break up the Lips/Reiner duo once and for all.

"Spinal Tap" comparisons are unavoidable when watching "Anvil" (The inept manager/girlfriend, amps that go to 11, the band even visits Stonehenge, for cryin' out loud!), but this is not a Mockumentary. The film is funny at times, sad at others, and fascinating all the way through. I have to say that Kudlow, the leader of Anvil and the heart of this film, is an amazingly positive person. He has gone through so much crap over the years for the sake of his band yet he still believes that one day they're going to "make it." (I personally would've said "to hell with it" and shot up a Burger King long ago if I were in his shoes.) Reiner plays the mostly-silent Teller to Lips' motormouthed Penn through most of this film, never saying much, but when the chips are down his devotion to his friend and their musical dreams comes through.

Happily, the attention given to this film has seemingly turned the tide for Anvil. The band has gotten more press and played more gigs for more people in the last year than they probably have in the last decade, so their story is not yet over. "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" is a true underdog story. Even if you're not a metal fan, you'll find yourself drawn to this tale of two old time rockers who simply refuse to quit.

I did not expect to enjoy this film as much as I did. 'Anvil' are an ageing Canadian metal band who had 5 minutes of fame before falling short of the big-time. Now they are family men, living humble lives but never forgetting their ultimate dream and passion, so here we follow their last endeavour to make a worldwide success of their band. They are genuinely talented musicians and performers, as testified by the likes of Guns 'n' Roses, Metallica and Anthrax who were influenced by them. However, you don't have to be a fan of metal music to enjoy this heart-warming rockumentary, as you become completely endeared to the central characters – the emotional and sentimental Lips and his best friend and band-mate since they were 14 years old, Robb, the calmer and more enigmatic of the two. The initial impression is that the film could be a spoof, but whilst it is as comic as Spinal Tap, it is in fact a story of the real emotions of real people; making it a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil begins with testimonials from members of some of the biggest bands of all time; from Guns n' Roses to Metallica. They are all united in their praise for one group which served as an inspiration to each of them in the early 80s. That band was Anvil and footage from a massive concert in Japan shows them sharing the stage with Jon Bon Jovi and Whitesnake, destined to be just as successful as their peers. But it simply never happened. Sacha Gervasi's documentary traces the bands unfortunate history and catches up with them 30 years later, capturing the amazing story of their last-ditch attempt to snatch fame from the jaws of obscurity.

Lips and Robb have been playing music together since they were 14. Now in their 50s they have kept Anvil ticking over, supporting themselves with menial jobs and persisting despite the exasperation of their friends and loved ones. This is a band that really doesn't do it for the money but for the love of the music and the (sometimes disturbing) devotion of the few remaining fans. At this point, their commitment to Anvil seems relatively benign until Lips gets word from an Eastern European woman he met online (yes, really) that she has organised a full European tour for them and suddenly they see one final opportunity to give Anvil the success it deserves.

Anvil is an inspirational story of blind commitment and the bond between friends. Lips and Robb have complimentary but very different characters. Lips is the typically mercurial lead guitarist. Prone to violent outbursts and equally sudden, heartfelt apologies he is the heart of the band but also its biggest liability. Robb is his calm and Zen-like foil (with a penchant for scatological art) and their exchanges are never less than entertaining but are also surprisingly emotional. Lips' melodramatic, snivelling, lip quivering apologies are some of the highlights of the film, with Robb's increasingly uncomfortable reactions a joy to watch. If they ever decide to give up on Anvil (unlikely) they would make a great comedic duo. Indeed it is the humour of the movie which makes it most memorable, with a barrage of major and minor disasters on the European tour reducing the audience to speechless, breathless, hernia-inducing laughter.

Anvil's humour is tempered by a huge amount of respect, channelled through Gervasi's coverage of the band. He toured with them as a roadie in the 80s and his love for the guys and what they do can be seen in every frame. Even when their situation is being ridiculed it is never at the expense of the band and their determination shines through as their defining attribute. Gervasi's work behind the camera is extraordinary. Having such great, trusting subjects is certainly half the battle and the sheer cavalcade of bad luck which they attract is a bonus but Gervasi shows remarkable restraint in every aspect of the film-making, particularly the editing. The difference between a moment that is funny and one that transcends mere humour to become uncomfortable and even emotional is all in the editing and Gervasi knows exactly when to cut to make the movie most affecting.

There is a moment in Anvil! when the band arrives at an important gig already expecting it to be almost empty. Lips' voice-over combines his almost trademarked acceptance with the tiniest glimmer of hope – a hope which has never been totally extinguished in 30 years. As they walk through the tunnel to the stage there is a genuine surge of adrenaline and a moment of real emotion. As a viewer you desperately want things to work out for Anvil, just this once, and you will it to happen. That level of connection is rare in dramatic films and practically unheard of in documentaries but Anvil creates and holds that tension in a perfect cinematic moment.

Anvil transcends the sometimes niche position of the documentary to deliver a truly extraordinary piece of cinema. It combines the lasting afterglow of a great concert with that of seeing a fantastic movie in a single package which is touching, funny and hugely entertaining. Even if you abhor heavy metal, are generally ambivalent about documentaries and think you couldn't care less about this bands bizarre longevity – you simply have to experience Anvil!

The Sundance documentaries I look forward to every year are usually heavy insights into social injustices or political atrocities. So when I first heard about "Anvil!", I admit I was expecting a goofy, cheesy film. Fortunately, my expectations were blown away during the world premiere at Sundance.

Director Sacha Gervasi demonstrated that the love of a fan and the 30 year bond between best friends and band mates can be just as powerful and compelling subject matter as found in any other documentary.

I was impressed by the film's artistry. Sacha's profiles revealed rich characters, human and lovable. Lead singer "Lips" has a wonderful, sensitive, child-like personality full of emotion and hope. He seems completely without guile, open and transparent. It contrasts nicely with drummer Robb Reiner's more quiet, thoughtful and intellectual presence.

The photography was stunning. There were some very poetic moments like a quiet scene after a fight between band members in Dover where a solitary band member walked through a field with a stormy wind whipping the vegetation and waves angrily crashing in the turbulent seas in the background. Or after wonderful news, the camera followed Lips outside of the house then panned to the window with a black cat sitting inside, then shifting focus to fresh flowers growing in the yard. It was lovely mirror of Lip's amazing ability to leave bad luck (the cat) behind and savor the beauty of a fresh new opportunity.

This was the first documentary that I remember hearing the audience actually cheer out loud during the movie. After the film Sacha was received with thunderous applause, and and instant standing ovation when the band took the stage.

It's been years since I've listened to metal, but I was surprised at how enjoyable the music was...especially Robb's brilliant drumming. So, I'll sign-off now and head over to www.anvilmetal.com and purchase my first metal album in 15 years.

Anvil is a story not everyone can relate to, it takes balls to do what Anvil has done over this last 30 years, and that is never to give up.

When I first saw the trailer in the apple site I was really intrigued about the fact that Lars Ulrich, Scott Ian, Lemmy, Slash and all these guys that I consider my heroes were talking so highly about Anvil.

Truth be told, being born in 1983 I never heard of them until now and was very moved by their perseverance and loyalty to their cause which is the music.

Being an independent rock musician in a foreign country, this movie didn't give me anything more than hope and a well placed push to have faith in what I am doing.

The documentary is one of the best I've seen in my life and it really talked to me.

If you have a dream, go see, buy or rent "Anvil! The story of anvil" it will show you that nothing is impossible when you put your heart in it.

Even when it looks like everything is against you.

Two thumbs up, five stars, 4 thumbs up, 10 stars No matter the scale, this documentary gets the highest.

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